The invention relates to support fixtures and, more particularly to brackets adapted to be attached to walls or ceilings such as acoustical, tile, plasterboard, and other similar surfaces which do not provide an adequate support for nails, screws or similar fasteners.
Conventional brackets used to support artwork, potted plants, decorations, and other similar devices normally use a single supporting nail, spike, or suitable mounting bolt inserted into the supporting surface an which may or may not be angled with respect to the supporting surface. Other brackets are supported by wall anchors which require holes to be pre-drilled into the supporting surface in order that the wall anchor be permanently secured in place. These type of brackets require a permanent mounting means which can only be removed with great difficulty and subsequent repair of the support surface. Other known hanger brackets use a plurality of angularly driven nails such as shown in the hanger and support fixtures in the U.S. Pat. Nos. to Cass (2,226,168) and Dahm (2,288,439), as well as German Pat. Nos. 383,158 and 258,487.
The present invention relates to a hanger bracket formed of a base including side walls disposed at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the support base. Nails driven into the supporting surface engage the side walls therefore supporting the base with respect to the supporting surface, the side walls determining the angle which the nails are driven into the supporting surface. A cover having an interior wall surface at the same angle as the wall surface of the base engages the nails to securely capture them between the cover and base thereby preventing the nails from pulling free when a weight is attached to the support bracket. The angular relationship of the nails to the support surface provides a vector force which prevents the nails from being pulled free due to their angular disposition relative to the supporting surface. A plurality of nails are spaced around the edges of the base which provides maximum strength and support. The cover includes a means for securing it to the support base which is preferably a screw or other threaded fastener. Tightening the cover against the base captures the nails and maintains them in an angular position in the supporting surface. The cover may be any shape or design to provide a suitable aesthetic appeal in the environment or location where the support bracket is used. A suitable hook or other fastening means may be connected to the cover in order that various objects of the type described hereinabove may be supported on either a horizontal or vertical supporting surface. Alternately, any fixture or item to be hung may include the cover structure integrally formed in or on a flat wall surface of the fixture or item so it can be directly secured to the base.
Among the objects of the present invention are the provision of a support bracket adapted to support hanging objects on either a ceiling or wall. Another object is the provision of a support bracket which can be made of a variety of solid materials and which can be shaped and colored to fit any particular area or environment. Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a support bracket which uses minimal sized supporting surface engaging fasteners so that the removal of the bracket does not permanently scar the supporting surface. Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a support bracket which may be conveniently used without requiring exotic tools or mounting procedures and which is inexpensive to make and simple in design while providing maximum supporting strength.